Fight or Flight

by Tim Howard

Is fear good or bad? My answer to that question would be both!

There are definitely times and things that should trigger a healthy fear, which in turn should cause a person to flee the scene.  If bullets are flying around – it’s wisdom to run for cover and if you ever encounter a vicious bear on the loose – A retreat may be the best option.

The Fight-or-Flight response that resides within all of us needs to be trained because fear might be based upon a ‘perceived threat’ rather than a ‘real threat.’ When this happens we may run when we should stand our ground or vice-versa, we may stand firm and remain steadfast when we should hightail it for a safe place.

Discernment is the key!

Knowing what to do in any given situation is not always as easy as it sounds!

I recently had our staff take an ‘Active Shooter’ class presented by our wonderful Sheriff’s Department in Kings County, which gave us wisdom and insight on knowing when to run and when to fight. One key point we gleaned was: ‘To have this discernment, one must be governed by something higher than fear.’

When the army of Israel was running and hiding from Goliath because of fear – David, the first King of Israel stood firm against insurmountable odds because of his faith in God.

Faith in God is the antidote to fear. Jesus drew the connection between fear and faith when He said: “ Why are you afraid – oh you of little faith.” In other words: If you are governed by great fear, you will have little faith but if you are governed by great faith you will have little fear.

Fear has to be broken – It must not be allowed to rule because it is shortsighted. Like our emotions – fears are valid but they don’t provide a good foundation for good decisions

David said: “I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.” Ps 34:4 David refused to allow his fears to trump his faith. If a person follows his example – he or she will not act upon what they want to do when fear comes but what God wants them to do.

Fear Not – is a phrase used upwards to 150 times in the Bible and it admonishes all of us to break the power of fear. The author of Hebrews tells us that Jesus came to break fear’s hold on us so we could rise up in faith.

I wonder if any of you, who are reading this article are living a life founded upon fear – running from things when you should be standing firm. Are there any ‘Pink Elephants’ in your life that you aren’t focusing on because you fear what might happen if you actually expose it for what it really is? Is it fear that causes you to procrastinate, ignore or even deny the reality of some aspect in your life? If so:

Don’t allow fear to be your guide throughout life – Fear will too often cause you to run when you should stand and if you are running you’re probably looking for a place to hide.

I encourage you to make the decision I made years ago. 

I will rise up in faith today and in all my days and in all my ways I will seek the Lord. If you make that decision: Faith will supersede fear and you will have the discernment needed when fear knocks on your door.

When You Have A Bad Day (Part 2)

by Andrew Cromwell

A bad day is when things in your life are turned upside down and you don’t know if you are going to be able to make it to tomorrow. On bad days we lose our job or a loved one dies. On bad days everything else in life stops because you get the worst news of your life. 

In my last article we began to look at a story found in the Bible in 1 Samuel 30 that gives us insight into how we can face a bad day and come out on the other side winning instead of whining. That chapter recounts a day when David lost just about everything that was valuable to him in life—his family, his possessions and his home.

We discussed the first two things that David did when he heard that all was lost.  First, he cried. It is important not to skip the step of actually allowing yourself to feel the weight of the situation. Don’t deny your emotions; just don’t be led by them. Turn your tears into prayers. Second, he decided not to get bitter. Bitterness will kill you from the inside out. It is all about blame and the blame game won’t get you anywhere. The only real way to overcome bitterness is by deciding to forgive! 

The third thing that David did was to encourage himself in God. The phrase actually comes straight from the Scripture—one translation says that he “drew strength from the Lord.” David made a decision to get his eyes off of the tragedy and put them on the only One who could truly help him through it. In difficult times people often draw strength from sources that are ultimately destructive—unhealthy relationships, behaviors and coping mechanisms that seem to help at first but that demand a vicious payback in the end.

To draw strength from God, we begin to remind ourselves of who God is and who we are. God sees all and knows all. He has the big picture. He also loves us and ALWAYS desires the best for us. He also promises to be with those who call on His name. We, on the other hand, are small and don’t see much (let alone understand much). We need to reach out and grab hold of Him and refuse to let go. Instead of getting mad at God and moving away from Him, we need to grab hold of God and refuse to let go! 

After David encouraged himself, he then got a word from God. In the story, he actually called for a priest to come and help him pray. He spent time in God’s presence and he came out of it knowing that God had spoken to him. We should do the same. After we have encouraged ourselves and put our mind in the right place, we need to get into His Word and read and read and read. We need to get around people of faith who we know hear from the Lord and have them encourage and pray for us. We need to spend time in prayer, both pouring our heart out to God but also listening for what He would say in return. We will discover that God will speak and He will almost always say “I am with you, I will never leave or forsake you and I will help you through this.”

The last thing that David did (and that we need to do as well) was to fight. The reason this step comes last is because we need to fight against the right enemy! Far too often we run off halfcocked and start attacking the wrong people or things. But after we have met with God, we find ourselves equipped with the right tools for the job—prayer, God’s Word, praise—and we know the right direction to point the spear. And even though this step is last, it is still part of the process. Don’t just give up! If you’re alive and kicking than God’s not done with you and you need to get back into the fight.

The Fight: Round 3

by Tim Howard

One of the greatest fights recorded in scripture is about a man named Goliath and a boy named David. Here’s the Biblical record.

“A giant nearly ten feet tall stepped out from the Philistine line into the open, Goliath from Gath. He had a bronze helmet on his head and was dressed in armor—126 pounds of it! He wore bronze shin guards and carried a bronze sword. His spear was like a fence rail—the spear tip alone weighed over fifteen pounds… Goliath called out to the Israelite troops, "Why bother using your whole army… pick your best fighter and pit him against me.” … Hearing the Philistine's challenge, they were terrified and lost all hope.” MSG 1 Samuel 17.

You may be asking: How could anyone stand up against someone like that and win? Evidently others were wondering the same thing, because no one dared to accept his challenge except a boy named David.

David told the King he was prepared to do battle with this Giant even though he was small in stature. God was with him! He would use weapons, which included 5 stones and a sling. Here’s what the record says: “David reached into his pocket for a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine hard in the forehead, embedding the stone deeply. The Philistine crashed, facedown in the dirt. That's how David beat the Philistine—with a sling and a stone.” MSG

A better question might be: How does a much larger man, a much stronger man and soldier with much more training in warfare fail to win this battle?

Let me give you three reasons:

1. Goliath overestimated his own strength and underestimated God’s strength. David didn’t! His confidence wasn’t in his own abilities but in the promises and power of God. David didn’t lean on his own understanding. He fulfilled Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight…” NIV

2. Goliath devalued, disrespected and disdained David because he was small. David, however, used five small stones to do the impossible. If you are going to win the fight against your giants, you’ve got to know that every little bit helps. It’s the little things that are important and it’s the little things that add up to a lot. Rick Warren said: “One snowflake can’t do much but if you get enough of them, you can stop traffic.” Don’t look down on the little things of life. If you do you will lose the battle.

3. Goliath didn’t take into account his weakness. Even though his armor almost totally covered his body, he was still vulnerable. Pride can blind you to your weaknesses. David walked in humility and it proved to be the key to his victory. Humility is a powerful weapon. James said it best: “God gives us more and more strength to stand against…evil…. God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble.” St Paul puts it this way: 2 Corinthians12:9  “My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.” 

What giants are you facing and fighting today?

Don’t depend upon your own abilities but trust in God. Don’t wait for the 15^th round, hoping to get a KO. Keep throwing the little punches every round. They are paving the way to victory. Make sure you walk humbly before God. He will help you win the fight.

The Fight: Round 2

by Tim Howard


Have you ever had someone come at you with harm as his or her intent? If so, you’ve been confronted with a very important question. Is this a flight or fight situation?

I’ve heard people say they are lovers and not fighters. They want peace, not war. King David was that type of man. Psalm 120:7 clearly reveals his innermost desires. The problem however, was simple.  Those who wanted war surrounded David. They wanted to fight!  They didn’t want peace! David’s story reveals he was a man who loved God but was also a great warrior. He was both, a lover and a fighter!

I’m a promoter of the ‘flight’ response if at all possible but realize there are times when the ‘fight’ response is necessary. I say this not out of cowardice but wisdom. If a fight can be avoided and the right goals succeed, it is best. 

When you must fight, however, the right weapons can bring victory. 

Paul the Apostle addresses this issue in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6. “The world is unprincipled. It's dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God…Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.” MSG

The tools or weapons God uses aren’t your typical type. They aren’t designed to help you carry out revenge like Dirty Harry. They won’t help you to fight fire with fire and they can’t be used for your own personal vendettas. The weapons given by God will bring forgiveness, freedom and fullness when used properly.

Of all the weapons we have received, I think ‘Truth’ is among the top ten. In Ephesians 6 when Paul is talking about warfare he tells us to make sure we have truth on our side whenever we encounter opposition and need to fight. He likens it to a belt which when buckled around the waist keeps everything together and in place. 

A marriage between a man and woman will fall apart if truth doesn’t reign in the relationship. A business venture will fail if it isn’t based upon truth. An argument founded upon a lie will never turn out well. 

“Speak the ’truth’ in love” is what the Bible tells us to do. When you speak the truth, it has the power to break through the opponent’s facade. When you speak the ‘truth in love’ it has the power to build the opponent’s character. Everyone wins.

Truth can hurt but in the end it’s worth embracing. A doctor’s knife may cause pain but when the cancer is removed, the joy is overwhelming. 

When you speak the truth at the right time, in the right way and with the right attitude the results will be freedom. It may not stop the battle but it will free you in the midst of the battle.  

We all live in a world that requires us to fight. You must fight against depression, which comes frequently. You must fight the overwhelming feeling of hopelessness that comes when you hear the daily news. You must fight to keep your head above water when your dreams are shattered and disappointments abound. When you fight, make sure you know the truth about God. He’s on your side.

The Fight: Round 1

by Tim Howard

Back in the day my dad and I would watch the ‘Friday Night Fights’ on our 19-inch black and white television set. We would sit in the living room watching guys like Rocky Marciano, Sonny Liston, Archie Moore and Sugar Ray Robinson step into the ring and box for 10 to fifteen rounds. My father actually watched more than I did because my assignment was to keep adjusting the rabbit ear antenna to get a clear picture. Those were the days!

In the early 1960’s a guy by the name of Cassius Clay came onto the scene and caused a paradigm shift in the world of boxing. Muhammad Ali, as he later would be called was unique. He could dance and weave around the ring like none other and was extremely difficult to hit. One of his famous quotes when he fought against George Foremen was this:

“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. His hands can't hit what his eyes can't see. Now you see me, now you don't. George thinks he will, but I know he won't. “

Paul the Apostle was a fighter too! Even though he never stepped into a boxing ring, many people took shots at him with the intent of knocking him out. God, however, was on his side and he ended up a winner. He may have lost a few fights but he won the championship.

He records one on his experiences in 2Cor. 4:8-9. “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going.”

Life is a fight! Jesus said: ‘ “… in the world you have tribulation but take courage, I have overcome the world” You can’t live a joy-filled life and be a pacifist. The bible tells us there is an enemy who doesn’t want you to be free. He doesn’t want you to experience peace, joy or love. He wants you to be self-centered, self-focused and self-willed. He wants to destroy you.

Jesus, on the other hand fought the ultimate fight against sin so we could in fact, experience a quality of existence called eternal life.

When you hear things like: “I’m sorry but we have to lay you off.” “It’s malignant.” “”Your son’s been arrested.” I don’t love you any more.”” “Mom, I think I’m pregnant.” “I’ve found someone else.” “Your wife didn’t survive the surgery.” You know a ravaging blow has hit you. The vibrancy of life can be knocked right out of you if one is not careful.

Something always attempts to rob you of eternal life but with God, a level of living that's full of joy is possible. It’s a dimension of living that’s affected by the hits but not destroyed.

Paul learned the art of fighting and became a champion. Romans 8:37 tells us that he not only won the war with a narrow margin but won in a convincing way. He overwhelmingly conquered and so can you. Mr. Ali said: “If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can sure make something out of you.” God wants to make you into a champion fighter.

In the next few articles we will give some lessons in the art of fighting.

You may want to check out and read Eph 6:10 -18 because every fighter prepares for battle before entering the ring. Get ready, the bell is about to sound…